TOP NEWS

🏖 Giorgia Meloni announced plans at the International Tourism Forum in Milan to boost tourism in Italy's small towns and villages through fiscal measures. Italy is currently the second in Europe for tourist visits, aiming for 479.7 million by 2025, a 3% rise from 2024. In the first nine months of 2025, arrivals were 113 million, with 406 million presences (+2.19%). Upcoming Milan Olympics will further spotlight these initiatives.

🗺 Daniela Santanchè, Italy's Tourism Minister, presented a new tourism plan at the Forum Internazionale del Turismo in Milan. The initiative is focused on boosting competitiveness by aiding small municipalities, which saw a 6.85% rise in presence and 7.86% in arrivals from 2024, covering 20% of total overnights. A 24-month window with tax relief aims to centralize hotel businesses. A proposed 10% tax cut for companies should benefit workers similarly. Key areas include European funding access and reducing bureaucracy.

📅 Hospitality 2026 will be held from February 2-5 in Riva del Garda, marking its 50th edition. With over 45,000 square meters, it features more than 750 exhibitors and involves 60 buyers from 21 nations. The Ho.Re.Ca. sector generated €107.1 billion in 2024. The event includes four thematic areas and special zones like RPM and Solobirra. A highlight is the AI Playground. The expo supports an open-air tourism sector, valued at €8 billion, with an expanded outdoor concept.

🍷 Quaglia Antica Distilleria unrolls the Bèrto vermouth selection on January 23 at AIS, Turin, spotlighting vermouth's origins dating back to 1786 by Antonio Benedetto Carpano. This event offers tastings of five iconic vermouths. Vermouth, rooted in Torino's traditions, has regained prestige, bolstered by a 2017 regulation. Carlo Quaglia, the fourth generation, emphasizes historical inspiration, using slow infusions and quality ingredients, continuing the legacy since 1890.

📅 Dal 2 al 5 febbraio a Riva del Garda, la 50a edizione di Hospitality - Il Salone dell'Accoglienza accoglie oltre 750 espositori su 45.000 mq. Il settore HoReCa ha generato 107,1 miliardi nel 2024. Oltre 60 buyer da 21 nazioni partecipano. L'evento offre quattro aree tematiche e introduce Dimensione Gusto. Il turismo open-air italiano vale 8 miliardi di euro. Mercoledì 4 febbraio, verrà presentato il Rapporto sull'Enoturismo in Italia.

📅 Regione Lazio, il 2024: Nuovo Piano triennale del turismo approvato per migliorare l’offerta turistica. Quattro cluster: cultura, benessere, arte, turismo lento, e grandi eventi. Fiuggi prevede 856,000 presenze nel 2024. Entro metà febbraio, un nuovo brand turistico sarà lanciato. Innovazione supportata con 2.4 milioni di euro attraverso il bando Lazio Digital, per promuovere borghi e paesaggi con tecnologia.

✈️ easyJet will expand its Italian network for Summer 2026 with five new routes. From March, routes from Cagliari, Bari, and Rome Fiumicino to France and the UK will begin. On March 30, the Rome-Newcastle route starts, operating twice weekly. From June 23, Milan Linate-Brindisi will fly four times weekly. On July 3, Bari-Manchester launches, offering two flights weekly. Cagliari will connect to Bordeaux and Nice from June 23. These enhancements will increase connectivity between Italy, France, and the UK.

🏆 Visa, main sponsor of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, has aided the digitalization of 15,000 SMEs in Lombardy, Veneto, and Trentino Alto Adige. Set to start on February 6, 2026, the event also supports women entrepreneurs with initiatives like "She’s Next" and "She Leads," backed by €250,000 from Visa Foundation. Around 300 microenterprises benefit from Visa's promotional channels, and 30% of new collaborators are engaged through the Gen26 and Dual Career projects. Tap-on technology enhances urban public transport.

🌏 Azonzo Travel is expanding its offerings in Japan with three special itineraries: 'Viaggio in Giappone' classic, an 11-day journey, and a tour of the Kanto region. Scheduled departures are from April 2026 to March 2027. Highlights include visits to Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Kanazawa, and more. Founder Fabio Chisari announced these new travel packages.

🚄 Il 2 febbraio, la tratta ferroviaria ad Alta velocità Madrid-Andalusia tornerà operativa dopo un deragliamento. Il ministro dei trasporti, Óscar Puente, ha annunciato che i viaggi sono cancellati almeno fino al 23 gennaio, con possibili proroghe. Le linee elettriche e le rotaie sono gravemente danneggiate, ma un binario potrebbe riaprire parzialmente.